2021 Work

Earlier this spring, I watched a show on The Quilt Show (show 2810) that featured Sandra Mollon. She demonstrated a technique that she uses to create a quilt from a photo. I had done something similar years ago, but this looked easier.

I decided to give it a try with a simple image that I found on the internet. I found a sea turtle photo at https://animal-council.blogspot.com/ and decided to use this.

First, you print the photo in BW in the size that you want the quilt. I used the program paint in Windows that allowed me to print the photo on as many pages as I wanted. I printed the image on 2X2 pages.

After you print the photo, you trace the image onto freezer paper (not reversed), outlining major lines. Then you go step by step with cutting the freezer paper and finding fabric that match the color and shading.

Sandra Mollon has an online class offered on her web page for this technique at: https://www.sandramollonquilts.com/elephant-class

I had a piece of fabric in my stash that I had been saving that I thought would really work for the background, and I even got to use some of my own hand-dyed fabric.

Here are some photos of the quilt.

turtle quilt in fabric
This is the raw fabric prior to thread painting.
Finished Turtle Quilt
Finished Turtle Quilt
turtle close up
Closeup of turtle quilt stitching.

After I finished the turtle quilt, I decided to try something a little harder. My friend’s birthday was coming up and I thought I would make a quilt of 2 of her dogs. The original photo was taken by her daughter Jamie.

Enlarged drawing and beginning of fabric placement.
fabric prior to thread painting
This is after all the fabric piecing was complete, prior to thread painting.
Prior to thread painting and quilting.

Finished Quilt